Walter Davis Pidgeon is an American theater, film and television actor of Canadian descent. He began his film career in 1926. The last time he appeared on the screen was in 1977 in the musical comedy "Sextet".
The actor was twice nominated for an Oscar in 1943 and 1944 for his roles in the films Mrs. Miniver and Madame Curie. In 1954, he won a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival, starring in the film "Room for Directors".
In the creative biography of Walter, 160 roles in film and television. His film career spanned over 40 years. Pidgeon is best known for his roles in the projects: "Funny Girl", "Angry and Beautiful", "Perry Mason", "Forbidden Planet".
In addition to working in films, Pidgeon performed for several years on the stage and on the radio. In 1960, he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in Take Me Along, but the award went to renowned American performer Jackie Gleason.
Biography facts
Walter was born in Canada in the fall of 1897. His father, Caleb Pidgeon, worked as a haberdasher and later owned a clothing store for men. Mom - Hannah Sanborn, ran a household and raised her sons. Larry's older brother, after serving in the army, worked as editor of the Santa Barbara News-Press.
The boy received his primary education in several local schools located in St. John. When Walter was 16 years old, Larry's older brother was already serving in the Canadian army. And the boy also decided to join his brother. However, after it was discovered that he was still too young, Walter was sent home.
Then he entered the University of New Brunswick at the department of dramatic art, but Walter failed to finish his studies. The First World War began. The young man volunteered for the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery.
Walter had an accident while training young soldiers. He was pinched between guns, as a result of which he received serious injury. Pidgeon never took part in hostilities, having spent over a year in the hospital. There he first recovered from his injury, and then fell ill with pneumonia and was forced to stay on treatment for several more months.
After the end of the war and discharge from the hospital, Walter went to Boston, where he got a job at a brokerage house. He also enrolled in the vocal division of the New England Conservatory of Music.
Creative way
After working for several months in a brokerage office, Pidgeon decided it was time to devote himself entirely to the acting profession. He moved to New York and began taking acting lessons at E. E. Clive's Copley Playhouse.
The famous actor Fred Astaire of those years once heard Walter sing and offered to hire a theater agent for the young man to search for roles. But Pidgeon refused to accept the offer and continued to perform at the E. E. Clive Theater.
The talented young man was noticed very soon: in 1925 he made his debut on the Broadway stage. Having played in several plays, Pidgeon decided to try his hand at cinema and a year later starred in his first silent film directed by J. Cruz "Mannequin". It was starred by Alice Joyce and Warner Baxter.
In subsequent years, Walter appeared on the screen in such films as: "The Outsider", "Old Loves and New", "Miss Nobody", "Certificate of Marriage", "Heart of Salome", "Girl from Rio", "Gorilla", "Gate of the Moon", "Melody of Love", "Clothes Make a Woman", "Inner Voice", "Her Personal Life", "The Most Wicked Lady".
With the advent of sound to the cinema, Walter did not stay away from new roles. He was helped by a wonderful voice, because soon the actor became a real star of musicals. He appeared on the screen in the films: "Vienna Nights", "Kiss Me Again", "Hot Heiress", "Kiss in Front of the Mirror", "Big Brown Eyes", "She is Dangerous", "Girl Overboard".
Soon, the American public began to tire of musical films, because of this, Pidgeon's career began to decline. For several years he played only minor roles and only in the 1940s he won the love of the audience again.
Pidgeon got the main role in Fritz Lang's war drama The Hunt for a Man in 1941. The film was based on a work that tells about real events that took place in England at the beginning of World War II, and about the attempted assassination attempt on Hitler.
The actor played the next major role in the drama of J. Ford “How Green Was My Valley”. The film received 5 Academy Awards and 6 more nominations for this award.
In the further career of the artist, there were many roles in well-known projects: "Mrs. Miniver", "White Cargo", "Madame Curie", "Julia misbehaves", "The Forsyte Saga", "Angry and Beautiful", "The Ideal Wife", Executive Room, Last Time I Seen Paris, Forbidden Planet, Dyba, Perry Mason, Advice and Consent, FBI, Funny Girl, Dr. Marcus Welby, "Medical Center".
The last time the performer appeared on the screen was in 1977 in the musical "Sextet". Famous actors and musicians starred in the film: May West, Timothy Dalton, Tony Curtis, Ringo Starr, Alice Cooper.
Over the following years, Pidgeon suffered several strokes, which eventually led to his death. Walter passed away 2 days after his 87th birthday. He passed away in 1984. According to the will of the actor, his body was transferred for scientific research to the Medical School at the University of Los Angeles.
On the Hollywood Walk of Fame, W. Pidgeon's personalized star, number 6414, was unveiled.
Personal life
Walter has been married twice. The first wife in 1922 was Edna Pickles. She died in 1926, 2 years after the birth of her daughter. The girl was also named Edna in honor of her mother. Walter was helped to raise his daughter by his mother, who, having become a widow, moved in with her son.
Edna married in 1947 and gave Walter two grandchildren.
The artist's second wife was Ruth Walker. The wedding took place on December 12, 1931. Husband and wife lived together for over 50 years until Walter's death. The couple did not have joint children.
